Various forms of equipment have been provided for attaching disabled vehicles to the cranes of tow trucks with a view toward minimizing the likelihood of damage to the towed vehicle. For example, a wide flexible sheet may be employed for engagement and contact with the vehicle instead of steel cables or chains. More recently tow trucks have been provided with cranes arranged to support a flat rigid framework in which a pair of automobile wheels may be cradled and the frame lifted to raise the automobile for towing. The crane is constructed so that the frame may be held adjacent the ground transversely of the automobile which is then pulled onto the frame with a pair of wheels on the frame where they are cradled upon lifting by the crane and the vehicle then towed away.
The heavy traffic on highways and the disabling of vehicles by accident or otherwise results in many occasions when a vehicle must be removed promptly to minimize the interference with traffic and the causing of slowdowns. Traffic accidents on heavily traveled highways present problems of maneuvering and using the towing vehicles in a manner to most effectively and quickly remove the disabled vehicle from the traffic lanes. Frequently vehicles in an accident are left close together and in positions making it difficult to reach the disabled vehicle and heavy traffic conditions greatly increase this difficulty. Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide improved and more easily operated lifting and towing equipment which affords easier and more efficient operation in close quarters.
It is another object of this invention to provide a lifting equipment for vehicle towing trucks and the like which can be used in close quarters with minimum requirement for applying chains or cables to the disabled vehicle.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved equipment for lifting and towing disabled vehicles which is effective to lift and remove vehicles from close quarter traffic blocking situations.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a vehicle lifting and towing equipment including an improved arrangement whereby disabled vehicles may be lifted and removed with minimum likelihood of damage to the towed vehicle.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved vehicle lifting and towing equipment which may be positioned automatically for lifting the wheels of the vehicle to be towed without requiring the truck operator to leave the cab of the truck.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved vehicle lifting and towing equipment wherein the towed vehicle is carried on its own suspension system and damage to the vehicle during lifting and towing is minimized.